[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 228 (Tuesday, November 26, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Page 70729]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-29975]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7413-8]


Meeting of the Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List 
Classification Process Work Group of the National Drinking Water 
Advisory Council

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Under section 10(a)(2) of Public Law 92-423, ``The Federal 
Advisory Committee Act,'' notice is hereby given of the forthcoming 
meeting of the Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) 
Classification Process Work Group of the National Drinking Water 
Advisory Council (NDWAC), established under the Safe Drinking Water 
Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.).

DATES: The next two meetings of the NDWAC CCL Work Group will be held 
on the following dates: December 16-17, 2002 (9 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT on 
December 16, and 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. EDT on December 17); and February 5-
6, 2003 (9 a.m.-5 p.m. EDT on February 5, and 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. EDT on 
February 6).

ADDRESSES: The December meeting of the NDWAC CCL Work Group will be 
held at the National League of Cities, 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., 
Washington, DC. The February meeting of the CCL Work Group will be held 
at RESOLVE Inc., 1255 23rd Street, NW., Suite 275, Washington, DC.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information on the location 
and times of these meetings, or general background information please 
contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (phone: 800-426-4791 or (703) 
285-1093; e-mail: [email protected]). Members of the public are 
requested to contact RESOLVE if they plan on attending, at (202) 944-
2300. Any person needing special accommodations at either of these 
meetings, including wheelchair access, should contact RESOLVE (contact 
information previously noted), at least five business days before the 
meeting so that appropriate arrangements can be made. For technical 
information contact Dr. Jitendra Saxena, Designated Federal Officer, 
CCL Classification Process Work Group, U.S. Environmental Protection 
Agency, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (4607M), 1200 
Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460 (e-mail: 
[email protected]; Tel. 202-564-5243).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The CCL serves as the primary source of 
priority contaminants for research and regulatory evaluations for the 
Agency's drinking water program. The list is comprised of both chemical 
and microbial contaminants that are known or anticipated to occur in 
public water systems, and may have adverse health effects, and which at 
the time of publication are not subject to any proposed or promulgated 
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. EPA has formed a CCL 
Classification Process Work Group of the National Drinking Water 
Advisory Council (NDWAC) to help the Agency in developing a new risk 
based priority setting process based upon the recommendations made by 
the National Research Council (NRC) in its 2001 report.
    The work group is comprised of 21 recognized technical experts 
representing an array of backgrounds and perspectives who are as 
impartial and objective as possible. The work group is charged with 
discussing, evaluating, and providing advice on methodologies, 
activities, and analysis needed to implement the NRC recommendations on 
an expanded approach for the CCL listing process. This may include 
advice on developing and identifying: (1) Overall implementation 
strategy, (2) prototype classification methodology, classification 
attributes and criteria that should to be used, (3) pilot projects to 
validate new classification approaches, (4) demonstration studies that 
explore the feasibility of the VFAR (Virulance-Factor Activity 
Relationships) approach, (5) risk communication issues, and (6) 
additional issues not addressed in the NRC report.
    The first meeting of the work group was held on September 18-19, 
2002. The meeting objectives were to: gain understanding of the NRC 
recommendations from the invited members of the NRC panel; identify 
questions, issues and technical expertise needed to fulfill its charge; 
and plan next steps. At the conclusion of the first meeting, the work 
group identified four activity areas for small group discussions and 
formed committees to address each area (4-6 members/committee). The 
four committees are: committee on characterization of the universe of 
contaminants, committee on classification systems, committee on VFAR, 
and committee on developing guiding principles for the work group. Each 
committee is expected to hold several conference calls for group 
discussions in between the plenary meetings. EPA will provide technical 
materials and RESOLVE will arrange a conference call for each 
committee.
    The meetings are open to the public for observation purposes only. 
Statements from the public will be taken at the close of each meeting. 
EPA is not soliciting written comments and is not planning to formally 
respond to comments.

    Dated: November 20, 2002.
Nanci Gelb,
Acting Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 02-29975 Filed 11-25-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P